Bunker Fuel Availability

ENGINE: Europe & Africa Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

HSFO availability improves in the ARA; HSFO and VLSFO tight in Piraeus; LSMGO tight in Richards Bay and Durban.

Published

1 year ago

November 9, 2023

Admin

The following article regarding Europe and Africa bunker fuel availability has been provided by online marine fuel procurement platform ENGINE for post on Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times:

HSFO availability improves in the ARA
HSFO and VLSFO tight in Piraeus
LSMGO tight in Richards Bay and Durban

Northwest Europe

HSFO has become more widely available for bunkering in Rotterdam and the rest of the ARA hub, a source says. Lead times of 5-7 days are recommended for the grade.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is normal in the ARA. Lead times of 4-5 days are recommended for both grades.

The ARA’s independently held fuel oil stocks averaged 1% lower in October than across September, according to Insights Global data. The region's stocks declined despite a rise in imports in October. According to cargo tracker Vortexa, the ARA hub imported 243,000 b/d of fuel oil last month, much more than the 164,000 b/d imported in September.

The majority of fuel oil cargoes arrived from the UK, which accounted for 20% of the ARA’s total fuel oil imports in October. Poland (11%) and Brazil (9%) were the second and third biggest ARA fuel oil import sources.

The ARA's independent gasoil inventories - which include diesel and heating oil - declined by 5% in October.

LSMGO availability is normal in Flushing, where a supplier can deliver the grade for prompt delivery dates.

At the German port of Hamburg, availability for all fuel grades remains good. Recommended lead times are up to five days for all three grades, a source said.

Mediterranean

HSFO availability remains good in Gibraltar, a source says. Recommended lead times are 5-7 days to ensure good coverage. Three suppliers in Gibraltar Strait ports have good availability of HSFO, a source says.

Three vessels were waiting to bunker in Gibraltar on Wednesday, port agent MH Bland said. One supplier was experiencing delays of 4-6 hours in Gibraltar.

LSMGO availability is normal in nearby Algeciras. Two suppliers can supply the grade for prompt delivery dates.

Unlike Gibraltar, HSFO availability is very tight in Las Palmas. The earliest delivery date with one supplier is as far away as 25 November, while another supplier has no HSFO to offer in Las Palmas.

Rough weather conditions have halted bunkering in Las Palmas' outer anchorage since Tuesday. Meanwhile, bunker deliveries were still available via ex-pipe at berth or by barge at the port’s inner anchorage on Wednesday, says MH Bland.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is normal in the Portuguese ports of Lisbon and Sines.

HSFO availability is very tight in Malta and Istanbul, with only non-prompt deliveries available with suppliers, a source said.

In the Greek port of Piraeus, HSFO and VLSFO fuel grade availability is very tight, a source says. Only non-prompt deliveries are available for these grades.

Africa

LSMGO availability is tight in the South African ports of Richards Bay and Durban, a source says.

Offshore bunkering has been suspended at the Algoa Bay anchorage for over a month now. The deliveries came to a standstill after the South African Revenue Service (SARS) detained bunker barges over import duty disputes in September.

Talks between offshore bunker suppliers and authorities have reached an advanced stage, but it remains unclear how soon bunkering could resume, a port agent told ENGINE.

Meanwhile, bunkering is progressing normally in the adjacent Port Elizabeth, where only one supplier is delivering stems, the port agent added.

In Mozambique’s Nacala port, HSFO and LSMGO availability is good, a source said. VLSFO availability remains tight in the port, with the earliest delivery date currently 23 November.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is good in Maputo. The earliest delivery dates for these two grades are anywhere between 12-15 November.

By Manjula Nair and Nithin Chandran

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 9 September, 2023

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Bunker Fuel Availability

ENGINE: Americas Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook (24 Apr 2025)

Decline in vessels and imports in Los Angeles; demand remains weak in Panama; fuel availability in Brazil is steady.

Published

10 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Admin

The following article regarding bunker fuel availability in the Americas region has been provided by online marine fuel procurement platform ENGINE for post on Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times:

Decline in vessels and imports in Los Angeles
Demand remains weak in Panama
Fuel availability in Brazil is steady

North America

Houston is currently seeing strong demand, and both HSFO and VLSFO are readily available, with suppliers recommending lead times of around seven days. However, LSMGO supply remains tight through the end of the month, with lead times extending to 7-10 days.

Operations in the port are running smoothly, with occasional fog in the nights and early mornings.

"The weather has been favorable recently with no major disruptions," a source noted.

Demand has slightly decreased compared to last week across North America, but bookings are still being secured. Overall, market conditions remain steady, with no significant fluctuations in supply or demand.

In New York, bunker demand for HSFO remains strong with good supply, while VLSFO demand has been more subdued.

Lead times range from 3–5 days for VLSFO and LSMGO, while HSFO requires longer wait times.

Strong wind gusts are forecast until the end of the week, which could potentially disrupt barge deliveries at the anchorage, though no significant backlogs have been reported so far.

On the West Coast, the port of Los Angeles is experiencing a decline in demand, while bunker fuel availability remains stable, with lead times typically under a week.

Vessel arrivals and import volumes at the port have dropped, partly due to escalating US-China trade tensions. Hapag-Lloyd, for instance, has canceled 30% of its shipments from China, leading to a shift in shipping demand toward Southeast Asia.

Additionally, the port noted a 64% drop in new bookings for shipments from China to the US in early April, according to the Port of Los Angeles. This highlights the reassessment of costs and strategies by shippers amid the changing trade landscape.

Caribbean and Latin America

In Panama, the market has been quiet over the past few days across the ports of Balboa and Cristobal, with demand reported to be lower. Bunker fuel availability in the region remains good, with recommended lead times of less than a week.

In Argentina, supply is tight in Zona Comun with recommended lead times of 10-12 days.

The port is experiencing increased congestion recently, primarily because barges of two of its suppliers, Minerva and Raizen, are currently undergoing dry dock maintenance.

“As a result, bunker fuel deliveries in the area are now being handled solely by Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales, an Argentine oil and gas company, and World Fuel Services, a fuel services provider”, a source said.

Draft conditions in Argentina remain unstable, mainly due to changing winds around the estuary River Plate. Draft conditions refer to the depth of water needed for a ship to safely navigate without hitting the bottom.

These shifts are common when water levels are low and are likely to continue for now, a source said.

This means ships may need to reduce cargo loads or wait for safer sailing conditions.

Fuel availability in Brazil has been steady, with recommended lead times of 5-7 days.

Santos is experiencing some congestion, which is expected to persist for the next five days, but this is a normal occurrence for the region, a source said.

All fuel grades are currently available for prompt delivery across the Columbian ports of Santa Marta, Barranquilla, and Cartagena, with a recommended lead time of 2-3 days.

By Gautamee Hazarika

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 25 April, 2025

Bunker Fuel

Baltic Exchange: Bunker Report (24 April 2025)

Bunker report panellists include Island Oil Limited, Cockett Marine Oil Pte, Monjasa A/S and KPI OceanConnect, NSI Marine and Transparensea Fuels.

Published

10 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Admin

Baltic Exchange: Bunker Report (24 April 2025)

The following bunker report has been provided by freight market information provider Baltic Exchange for post on Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times:

Note:

All values are in US$/metric ton, all-in (invoice price), delivered on board
Delivery in 7-10 days
ISO 8217:2010
IFO 380 3.5% Sulphur
IFO 380 0.5% Sulphur
DMA 0.1% Sulphur

Fujairah – Offshore Anchorage Area
Gibraltar – Anchorage area
Houston – Houston Harbor
Panama – (Pacific) dangerous cargo area, Balboa
Rotterdam – Waalhaven – Maasvlakte range
Singapore – Anchorage, under SBA Scheme
Zhoushan – Southern anchorage area

Submitted weekly at Close of Business UK time Daily

Panellists:
Cockett Marine Oil Pte, Island Oil Limited, KPI OceanConnect, Monjasa A/S, NSI Marine and Transparensea Fuels

Photo credit and source: Baltic Exchange
Published: 25 April, 2025

Bunker Fuel

Port of Rotterdam publishes bunker fuel sales data for Q1 2025

Port data showed 230,129 m3 of liquefied natural gas (LNG) being delivered as a marine fuel in Q1 2025, a 6.9% increase from 215,247 m3 in Q1 2024.

Published

1 day ago

April 24, 2025

Admin

The Port of Rotterdam Authority recently published bunker fuel sales data for the first quarter (Q1) of 2025.

Deliveries of ultra low sulphur fuel oil, very low sulphur fuel oil, high sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in Q1 2025 (against on year) recorded respectively 187,031 metric tonnes (mt) (+5.8% from 176,797 mt), 789,218 mt (+15.9% from 680,782 mt), 829,197 mt (+1.4% from 818,028 mt), 295,127 (+12.4% from 262,496 mt), 97,944 mt (-19% from 120,913 mt).

Bio-blended variants of ultra low sulphur fuel oil, very low sulphur fuel oil, high sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in Q1 2025 (against on year) recorded respectively 8,490 mt (-68.9% from 27,263 mt), 49,263 mt (-71.7% from 174,301 mt), 28,271 mt (-33.9% from 42,761 mt), 15,640 mt (+8.7% from 13,180 mt) and 5,129 mt (-99.8% from 958 mt).

Port data showed 230,129 m3 of liquefied natural gas (LNG) being delivered as a marine fuel in Q1 2025, a 6.9% increase from 215,247 m3 in Q1 2024. Bio-methanol and bio-blended LNG recorded 5,490 mt and zero respectively in Q1 2025.

Photo credit: Port of Rotterdam
Published: 24 April, 2025